Posted by Lil Eazzyy seems unbothered.
Despite his rise occurring during the early and strict days of quarantine, the “Onna Come Up” rapper sounds unfazed about the concerts, events and trips he missed out on.
“I was locked in the studio,” Eazzyy tells HipHopDX over Zoom. “I was really just prepping myself for when stuff opened back up. I used it to my advantage.”
Last year, the 19-year-old turned a viral freestyle into a song that graced the cover of RapCaviar and notched 67 million streams in counting on Spotify. “Onna Come Up” is a self-predictive single, requiring a rare combination of confidence, poise, self-awareness and even a hint of delusion.
Having minimal buzz and then declaring that you “next” requires the rapper to fully buy into their potential hype. This isn’t an issue for Eazzyy on the track. He spits ferocious bars about his rise, serving as a prologue for the next chapter. But with one chapter written, it’s now up to Eazzyy to keep working on the book.
His next move forward comes with his latest mixtape, Rookie Of The Year, which allows the newly-minted Atlantic Records signee to try out more styles. On the tape, he injects his pop fandom into his teeth-gritting tales of envy and overcoming the odds growing up in Southside Chicago.
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He says he’s happy with his progression but hopes his debut album hits Billboard. With lofty ambitions like linking with Lil Durk and getting a Drake feature, it’s clear Eazzyy already has his eyes set on being one of the next success stories out of Chicago.
HipHopDX: So last time we talked, you said how G Herbo was a huge influence on you. A few months later, and bang, you got him on a remix to “Onna Come Up.” What was it like meeting and working with one of the rappers who made you actually want to do this?
Lil Eazzyy: It was crazy. It was heartwarming. But he was a real genuine n-gga, so it was just cool. Shit, we had rocked the video out, got in touch, and then shit, that was it. But I fucked with it though, that shit was crazy.
HipHopDX: How long did you get to talk to him outside of the video stuff? Did you get a little 10-minute conversation just like, “What’s good?”
Lil Eazzyy: Yeah, shit. I was talking to him really all through the set. We politicked.
HipHopDX: Were you ever a little starstruck at one point, you’re like, “Holy shit, that’s G Herbo, that’s one of my idols?”
Lil Eazzyy: No, not really starstruck. It was just crazy that he was there because that was who I was first listening to. But I wouldn’t say starstruck. It was just cool to have him out, I rock with him. That’s my favorite artist.
HipHopDX: And then you ended up on YBN Nahmir’s “Opp Stoppa” remix. How did that come about?
Lil Eazzyy: [His team] had hit me and asked me to get on the remix. But then they had 21 Savage [on a separate remix], so I ain’t think it was going to drop. But they doubled back and they was like, “Shoot, we might drop a third version.” So I’m like, “Shit, let’s do it.” And they dropped it. That shit was crazy. I been listening to YBN Nahmir for a minute too.
HipHopDX: Yeah, I bet. I mean, he’s another person that had a quick blow-up, and then he’s still doing his thing out here. So it’s cool that a couple of years later, you get to do the same thing, and get to be on his song.
Lil Eazzyy: Facts. I remember seeing the “Rubbing Off the Paint” video.
HipHopDX: That song was number one on SoundCloud for a minute too.
Lil Eazzyy: Yeah, I rock with that song. When he had dropped a snippet, and didn’t even drop the video, I was like, “This shit finna go crazy.”
HipHopDX: So when you blew up, obviously you couldn’t really go outside. You could still enjoy stuff, but you couldn’t fully enjoy all the shit going on. Now, things are starting to open up again, and also, you moved out to L.A. So what’s the craziest thing you’ve gotten to do in the past six months?
Lil Eazzyy: Shit, besides meeting Herb, probably just touching different states, and locking in with different producers and shit. That really be it. I ain’t really did nothing yet. All my festivals [are] in the summer. So I’m waiting on them. But yeah, it was probably going to Miami, shit, going to Atlanta.
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HipHopDX: You got to go to Miami? How was that?
Lil Eazzyy: That shit was lit. We had shot a couple of videos down there. Linked up with some people. That shit was thorough. I fucked with it.
HipHopDX: And did you just go out there with your team? Did you go out there with friends?
Lil Eazzyy: Yeah, I went out there with a couple of my friends. We went out there to shoot a video [“Freestyle”]. Got in the studio with some producers and shit. And it was my birthday, that’s why we went out there. I’m tweaking. I knew there was a better reason why we went out there. Yeah, we went out there for my 19th birthday. First few days out there, I had shot “Yes Or No”, I had shot that on the yacht. I’m still waiting [for that video] to drop. I was out there like I was 21. They was letting me in all the bars and shit. I was lit.
HipHopDX: Hey, man, that’s the perks. Was there ever a moment when you were out there with all your friends and really took it in like, “Damn, this is my life now, I’m here, I’m really doing this.”
Lil Eazzyy: Shit, when I was drunk, hell yeah. I was drunk most of the time I was down there, I was lit. Hell yeah. That shit was crazy. I was out there turnt.
HipHopDX: All right. So your latest project, Rookie of the Year, has a host of big producers and some guest rappers. Who’s the person you worked with or met through the making of the album that had you like, “Damn, I can’t believe I’m working with this person right now.”
Lil Eazzyy: Probably Nick Mira, because he worked a lot with Juice [WRLD], and I fuck with Juice, we went to the same school [Homewood-Flosser]. Tay Keith for sure, I always fuck with Tay Keith. So yeah, meeting the producers was one of the best parts, because we had a vibe in the studio.
HipHopDX: And I noticed on Instagram you put up a picture with Murda Beatz.
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Lil Eazzyy: Yeah, for sure. We got locked in. We got a hot ass track. I don’t know if we going to drop it though. Waiting to see.
HipHopDX: How’d that come about?
Lil Eazzyy: My A&R really just hooked us up. So we got locked in. He slid into the studio and picked out a beat that he wanted me to do. So I just went in there and did that but he just didn’t fuck with it. So we’ll see what happens.
HipHopDX: And who are some people that you want to try and work with that you think you could feasibly get it done, or maybe you’re already in talks to work with?
Lil Eazzyy: Shit, Durk. I been fucking with CEO Trayle [up and coming New York-born, Atlanta-based, blowing up in Chicago rapper.]
HipHopDX: Love him [CEO Trayle]. He’s so good.
Lil Eazzyy: Polo G, shit. Them three. Them three for sure, that’s who I’m trying to lock in with.
HipHopDX: Polo G and Durk some of the best in the game right now. And CEO Trayle: everyone is going to know his name soon.
Lil Eazzyy: Yeah, I been fucking with Trayle since he dropped that [track] “White Buff C4”. That shit cold. I been tapped in with him on the music too.
HipHopDX: Yeah, my one friend, he was telling me about him, and he was like, “This dude’s really dope.” And I think it was “Oxycodone Mixture,” that made me go “Damn, this boy cold.”
Lil Eazzyy: That shit cold.
HipHopDX: The other thing you got to do, you got to start playing some people in basketball, bro. Put that on the vlog, you can make a whole little series out of it.
Lil Eazzyy: Nobody be trying to play me, bro. I done asked people to play me for money. Don’t nobody play me. And I asked several times, several people. No one want to play me? It’s cool.
HipHopDX: Damn, bruh, they scared?
Lil Eazzyy: Yeah. They must be. I don’t know if they scared or what, but I ain’t ducking nobody. I got my money. So I don’t know. Shit, maybe they is scared.
HipHopDX: Maybe you set up a whole competition, maybe some people will come out of the woodwork. Who knows.
Lil Eazzyy: Yeah, we’ll see.
HipHopDX: So, this tape, you call it Rookie of the Year. Do you believe that you’re the rookie of the year in rap? And what does that mean to you to be rookie of the year?
Lil Eazzyy: Yeah, I feel like that just because I only been rapping for probably a year seriously, dropping music on DSPs, and Apple Music, and all that. So yeah, I would say I’m a rookie. I ain’t been doing this shit long at all. This is really my first year of rap for real. So I feel like I’m the best newcomer doing it right now in the rap world, you feel me? In the Hip Hop world. So for sure.
HipHopDX: So you’re trying to make that sophomore season on your [Luka] Doncic shit, right?
Lil Eazzyy: Yes, exactly. Really, my sophomore season, I’m trying to be MVP.
Follow Lil Eazzyy on Instagram and check out his Rookie Of The Year mixtape below.